What's the Difference between Bridge of Spies the Book and Bridge of Spies the Movie?
| In the Book |
In the Movie |
Rudolf Abel
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Rudolf Abel
Portrayed by: Mark Rylance
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Reino Häyhänen
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This Character does not appear.
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Barbara Powers
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This Character does not appear.
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Oliver Powers
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This Character does not appear.
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James Donovan
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James Donovan
Portrayed by: Tom Hanks
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Francis Gary Powers
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Francis Gary Powers
Portrayed by: Austin Stowell
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Wolfgang Vogel
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Wolfgang Vogel
Portrayed by: Sebastian Koch
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Mary Donovan
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Mary Donovan
Portrayed by: Amy Ryan
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Frederic Pryor
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Frederic Pryor
Portrayed by: Will Rogers
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Ivan Schischkin
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Ivan Schischkin
Portrayed by: Mikhail Gorevoy
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Marvin Makinen
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This Character does not appear.
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Bridge of Spies Book vs Movie
| In the Book |
In the Movie |
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Only one missile was launched from the SAM site that destroyed Power's U-2. Other SAM sites launched missiles at a MiG which crashed. |
Two or three missiles were shot at Power's U-2, one of them exploding and destroying the aircraft.
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Pryor is brought to his father at Checkpoint Charlie.
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Pryor is released into the custody of a man dressed in a suit.
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Powers was polygraphed as a civilian employee of the USAF in January 1956 prior to Abel's arrest in 1957, not after as depicted in the movie. |
Powers is shown being polygraphed by the CIA while in uniform.
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Donovan argued Abel's appeal in November 1959, Powers was shot down on 1 May 1960. |
Donovan appears to have argued the Abel appeal at the Supreme Court on the same day as the U-2 was shot down.
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Men from each side go forward to personally identify Abel and Powers. Powers mistakes Murphy for Bill, but is able to recall the names of his mother, wife and dog when Murphy asks.
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While waiting for the exchange to happen, men on each side identify the man to be exchanged while staying on their own side of the bridge.
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